


when you dream with the fever

by carefulren



Category: Camp Camp (Web Series)
Genre: David is honestly too pure for this world, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Illnesses, Nightmares, Sickfic, and Max just really needs someone to help his bitter ass out
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-11
Updated: 2017-07-12
Packaged: 2018-11-30 14:59:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,836
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11466000
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/carefulren/pseuds/carefulren
Summary: David is prepared for when a camper gets sick; he knows illness is inevitable.What he's not prepared for is the nightmare that leaves Max calling out to him while in a fitful, feverish sleep.





	1. Chapter 1

Even the heat of summer cannot stop the common cold in its tracks; David learns this when his head count at the start of the day comes up one short. It only takes one sweep of his gaze to realize there’s a striking absence of wild black hair.

“Where’s Max?” He asks with a pop of the hip as his eyes zero in on Neil. “We have a full day of fun ahead of us! He won’t want to miss this!” He watches as Neil drops his gaze down to the ground and kicks his foot lightly at the dirt until a soft billow of dust clouds around his shoes.

“Neil,” David presses, drawing out the name as he moves forward and drops into a crouch in front of the young boy. “I know you know where Max is.”

Neil wrings at his hands as he slowly drags his gaze to meet David’s face. “He’s still in his tent.”

It takes every ounce of David’s willpower to not let the sudden wave of relief stemmed from Max still physically being at the camp wash over his face. He struggles but manages to keep his face cool and encouraging, and he nods at Neil as a silent invitation to continue.

“He told me,” Neil starts before clearing his throat to gear up for a passable impression of Max. “I’m not going out today. Don’t fucking—Don’t give me that look! I just want to stay in this stupid fucking tent, okay? Don’t say a goddamn word to David.”

A slight wince tugs at David’s face at the crude language, but he forces the smile splayed across his face to remain as he considers the words. “Did he say why?”

Neil shrugs. “No, but I think he’s sick.”

At this, David gets back to his feet, and he gnaws at his lower lip as he studies all of the other kids for potential signs of illness. To him, everyone looks to be at maximum health; he considers the possibility of Neil lying on Max’s behalf, but before he can verbally scold the boy for telling a fib, Neil grabs his attention.

“Well, he was up half the night coughing anyway.”

The frown that pulls at David’s lips is deep and driven by a strike of worry that has his heart leaping into a quick thump against his chest. “Gwen, can you watch the kids today?” He asks without looking toward his fellow camp counselor. His gaze is trained in the general direction of the tents, and without realizing, he’s already moving toward the small clearing almost as if in a daze. He fails to hear Gwen’s snarky reply over the echoing heartbeat pulsing in his ears.

His long legs get him to the tents in record time, and there’s only one that’s fully zipped up. Knocking seems counter-productive, but that doesn’t stop David from tapping his knuckles against the fabric as a form of common courtesy. “Max?” He calls out gently just as he leans forward and presses his ear to the tent. “Max? Are you okay?”

Shuffling sounds come from inside the tent and are followed by a rough bout of coughing that has David tensing at the harsh sound. “Max,” he presses, fingers hovering over the zipper. “I’m coming in, okay?” He hesitates only for a moment, but when there’s still no verbal reply around the grating coughs, he grasps the zipper and opens the tent.

Max is pushed up on one elbow and coughing harshly into his fist, over and over until an unhealthy reddish tinge colors his face. He winces at the sudden intrusion of sunlight, and David is quick to zip the tent back up in a small attempt to offer relief for the clearly sick boy.

“Fucking Neil,” Max manages out against a rasping breath when his coughing tampers off. “Can’t trust any of these fucks.”

David ignores this and crawls forward until he’s perched on his knees in front of Max. His eyes are wide and painted with a deep-set concern that tugs hard at his heart. “Max, are you okay?” He questions, worry bleeding out into his uncharacteristically low tone.

“Do I fucking look okay?” Max spits out, nose wrinkling up in a failed attempt to stop a sudden sneezing fit before it starts. He quickly turns away to sneeze into the crook of his arm before groaning into the sleeve of his hoodie.

The second Max shoots a sharp gaze back toward David, David leans forward with an outstretched hand and cups a palm to Max’s cheek, causing the latter to freeze under his touch. The heat that coats David’s palm is startlingly worse than what he had expected, and his pupils blow out in shock as he slides his palm up to Max’s forehead.

“You’re running a fever,” David mutters as he pulls his hand back. “You’ve got yourself a nasty cold there.” His tone is soft, sympathetic, and laced with a strong color of worry. “We should get you back to my cabin. You will be much more comfortable there, and I’ve got tea and medicine.”

“I’m good here,” Max tries, but before he can lie back in his sleeping bag, David latches strong fingers to his trembling wrist.

“Please come with me.” David presses, face mirroring his wavering tone. “You shouldn’t be in this thin tent when this sick.” He tightens his grip when Max makes a move to pull away, and the two fall into a staring contest: wide worried eyes verses drooping bloodshot ones. The silence that fills the small tent is tense and suffocating; David almost caves under the weight of it, but Max breathes out a deep sigh before David’s lips find words.

“Fine, but only because I feel like shit.”

The corners of David’s lips curl up into a wide smile, and he releases Max’s wrist and exits the tent with Max slow on his heels.

*****

It takes thirty minutes to get Max to the cabin, get a read on the young boy’s fever, get him medicine, and get him to bed, but once he’s settled under a pile of blankets to combat his trembling, he falls asleep almost instantly. David drags a small desk chair to the side of the bed and takes a seat. He’s prepared to stay as long as he needs, as long as Max needs. He doesn’t like when one of his campers gets sick; he knows illness is inevitable, but it still hurts seeing one of his kids in pain.

So, he stays as a silent, grounded sense of comfort until he stands after two hours, bones popping and cracking against the weight of disuse. He shakes his arms and legs out as quietly as possible before he turns and starts toward the door to grab some lunch for when Max wakes up. It’s when his hand is hovering over the doorknob that he hears it: a small, strangled whimper with one single word pushing against the clear pain coloring the tone.

“David.”

David whips around with an apology for waking Max hot on his tongue, but Max appears to be trapped in the tight grip of a nightmare. His head is jerking sporadically from left to right, and his face is pinched forward as if in pain. Sweat lines his temples and leaves his hair plastered at all angles to his forehead, and his eyes are pressing wildly against closed lids.

David moves forward without thinking. He knocks into the chair without really feeling it and drops onto the edge of the bed. He’s had his fair of share of nightmares throughout his life, but he’s never been on the other side of one, the side where reality stares back at the nightmare as if gearing up for a flight or fight response. His hand hovers over Max’s thrashing form as if there’s an invisible barrier keeping him from breaking through, from pulling the young boy from whatever bad images shoot across mind.

“Don’t go.”

David’s entire body goes rigid against the two words, and when a single tear slips down Max’s cheek, he breaks through the barrier and drops a hand to Max’s shoulder, giving it a good shake.

“Max, buddy. Wake up.” He tries, hand clutching at Max’s shoulder like a lifeline when the young boy begins trembling and jerking about in the bed. “It’s just a dream,” he adds with a louder voice, hoping that his tone can pierce through the nightmare.

When this fails to work, David squeezes at Max’s shoulder and sucks in a deep breath. “Max!”

Max jerks into a sitting position with a strangled gasp. His eyes are wide and frantic, as if he’s the prey being tracked by the predator. His chest is heaving as he sucks in large breaths as if he’s not been breathing for years, and his hoodie clings to his sweat slick skin.

Wild eyes fall onto David’s worried ones, and he spares a glance down to the hand still clutching at his shoulder. “The fuck are you doing?” He spits out weakly in between gasps.

“You were having a nightmare,” David replies with a voice that carries a slight tremor. He moves his hand to Max’s cheek, frowning deeply at the alarming heat. “I should get you more medicine and food.” He mutters, already lost in thought as he gets to his feet.

He wants to ask; he wants to know what type of nightmare had Max so panicked and afraid. But he knows the type of response he will get if he asks, and he’s sure Max probably isn’t up for talking right now. Later, he thinks to himself as he moves toward the door, but before he can pull it open, Max calls out to him with a voice that’s so soft and so vulnerable.

“David, wait.”

David spins quickly on his heel with furrowed brows and tilts his head in question. “Max? What’s wrong?” He keeps his voice calm and gentle as he studies the sick boy, eyes dragging all across Max’s face as if searching for an answer.

“Can you just…” Max starts, voice trailing off as he struggles for the right words. A deep sigh shoves up his throat that leaves him coughing weakly into his fist. “Stay,” he finishes, and when both of David’s brows shoot up in surprise, he groans loudly. “Don’t make a big fucking deal out of it.”

A million different emotions attempt to take hold of David’s face, but he sucks in a measured breath and crosses the room to reclaim his spot in the small chair. He doesn’t comment on it, but he can see the visible tension in Max’s shoulders give way to a deep slump of relief.

“I’ll stay as long as you need,” David says with a soft smile that has Max throwing himself back against the pillow with a loud sigh.

“God, you are such a fucking sap.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Max's nightmare.

_The path framed by trees is pitch black, and storm clouds rolling across the sky block the moon, making it to where Max can’t see, not even his small hand held in front of him. He’s angry, annoyed, and probably a million other adjectives he just doesn’t have the patience to come up with. He doesn’t know why he’s the one who was tasked with finding David, but if the damned idiot doesn’t show up soon, Max decides he’s going to leave the fucking counselor within the grips of the dark forest. It’s either trailing about finding David or running back to beat the storm, and well… Max doesn’t need to think too hard when weighing the options._

_He walks forward for five more minutes, occasionally stumbling over fallen tree branches that have him cursing loudly into the night. The hopeless realization that David is not going to be found settles as a hard pit in Max’s stomach, and he grumbles out a few more curses before he spins on his heel to start back to his tent. A loud crack of thunder sounds overhead, and it brings a sudden downpour that leaves him drenched in seconds. The water feels like sharp ice pellets that melt against his heated skin, but he doesn’t take too long to ponder how that’s possible._

_The battle between rain and thunder is loud, but it’s not loud enough to mask a small, strangled sound coming from behind him. His shoulders shoot up as tension settles against his bones, and he slowly turns around._

_David is standing a few feet away, or at least, Max thinks it’s David. The counselor is glowing a bright red that stands out against the darkness. He’s oddly dry despite the rain coming down all around them, but most concerning, there are slimy, green tentacles where his arms and legs should be. His eyes are hollow, and upon closer inspection, his tinted red skin is translucent._

_“What the fuck?” Max asks loudly so that his voice will carry over the storm. He shoves his hands in his hoodie pocket to hide the tremors and shuffles toward David. “Is this a costume?”_

_Instead of speaking, David turns and slides into the forest, and Max grunts out a weak curse before starting into a sprint after him._

_"David.” He mutters out as he races after the camp counselor. Tree branches whip at his face and leave small cuts, but he pays no mind as he charges forward. He glances all around the forest, but everything is frighteningly dark, and he’s finding that it’s a miracle he’s hasn’t tripped over and twisted an ankle._

_He runs for what feels like years before he jerks to a halt when David slides into a door placed in the middle of a clearing in the forest. “What the fuck?” He asks, almost absently, as he creeps toward the door. The realist part of his mind tells him this makes no sense whatsoever, but curiosity wins over as he grabs the doorknob and pulls the door open._

_He walks into a house, dripping water against creaking floorboards, and it doesn’t take him long to know where he is. If the horrid red wallpaper doesn’t give it away, the loud shouting from the kitchen does._

_“I don’t want him!”_

_“Neither do I!”_

_Max’s shoulders slump as he turns a corner and stares at the closed kitchen door where his parents are fighting. He knows it’s about him; he’s always known. He contemplates opening the kitchen door to give the two a piece of his mind but falters in his steps when David appears beside him._

_“Jesus Christ!” Max spits out sharply as he shoots a piercing gaze toward David. He notes that the camp counselor looks normal, and he would be lying if he said he wasn’t slightly relieved to see the counselor back to his normal self. “You scared the fuck out of me.” He tells David, but his words appear to fall against deaf ears._

_David is staring at the kitchen door with a deep frown that sets well with a strong glisten of pain coloring his eyes. Max wants to ask, but before he can make his lips form words, the kitchen door is being thrown open._

_Max jumps to the side to hide, but when his mother storms out dragging a younger version of himself toward the stairs, Max catches on that something isn’t right here._

_He remembers this day; he was eight. He was eating lunch in the kitchen, but he had been sick. He sneezed as he was holding a cup of water and accidentally spilled water all over the kitchen floor. After that was a massive argument from his parents right in front of him, and then he was dragged upstairs and locked in his room for the rest of the night._

_Pain tugs at his heart, but it doesn’t take full hold because David is still standing there watching the scene unfold. David can stop this, Max thinks as he reaches out toward the counselor. David can make this go away. But, before he can grab David, the latter is backing away toward the front door to exit the house. No, Max thinks, head shaking back and forth. David can’t leave, and yet, the counselor is pulling the door open with a great sense of hesitance._

_“Don’t go,” Max calls out against a strangled sob that brings an onset of tears, but it’s too late. David steps through the doorway, and Max can’t chase him because large, slender fingers are shooting out from the wall behind him and wrapping around him. He struggles against the hand that’s trapping him, but he can’t break free._

_He needs to leave; he needs to get to David. He doesn’t want David to leave him. David has to help him. David can; that’s what camp counselors do, they help people. He pushes against the fingers, but they only tighten around him until he can feel his ribs cracking against the pressure._

“Max!”

**Author's Note:**

> I'll write something other than sickfic for this eventually. In the meantime, come say hi on tumblr! (@toosicktoocare)


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